Munich. The BMW 5 Series has supremely defended its market leadership in the segment of business automobiles. 359,016 customers worldwide opted for a BMW 5 Series model in 2012. Whether an elegant Sedan, a dynamic Touring or a luxurious Gran Turismo, the BMW 5 Series thrills customers all over the world with its distinctive combination of design, technology, dynamic performance and comfort.

Drive . The modern 4, 6 and 8-cylinder engines provide an impressively high level of output, running smoothness and efficiency.

For example, the BMW 520d EfficientDynamics Edition makes do with an unsurpassed fuel consumption of just 4.5 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. Even the extremely powerful BMW 535d with 230 kW/313 bhp and a maximum torque of 630 Newton metres is more economical than the competition, with an average fuel consumption of only 5.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres.

The top-of-the-range engine in the BMW M550d xDrive for the Sedan and Touring models is unique in the segment. The impressive performance figures for the in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine developed exclusively for the BMW M Performance automobiles with three turbochargers are as follows: 280 kW/381 bhp, maximum torque 740 Nm, maximum engine speed 5,400 rpm, average fuel consumption 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres.

The 4-cylinder petrol engines are fitted with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology, likewise providing a high level of output at a low fuel consumption. The two 2-litre turbo engines in the BMW 520i and 528i feature a turbocharging system based on the twin-scroll principle, variable valve control VALVETRONIC and variable camshaft control double VANOS - as such they are based on the technology package of the multiple award-winning inline 6-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo in the BMW 535i.

And I see why... As an ex E39 owner, I thought the E39 could not be beaten. I thought the F10/11 had weaknesses when I tried the first examples, but having lived with my F11 for 4-months it is a superb 5-series, best I've ever had and love the drive in every way. Just specify the right options is my advice.

It's still better than its competitors, specifically Audi and Mercedes, and much better than any of the Japanese cars in this segment. Audi's S cars are the exception, they have pretty great steering feel compared to previous Audis.

What's wrong with the steering? In my 520d it's as smooth as butter... while when i drove an X5 i thought I was driving a tank

If you haven't noticed, it feels artificial........ I noticed a change when I went from my e39 to my e60, and then an even bigger change when I drove an f10. I love they way it looks, but the steering needs to be less electronic.......

There's not wrong with the steering on the F10 per se, it's a huge let down when you compare it to other BMW's and 5-Series that basically established the benchmark as to what steering should feel like (and by steering, we mean weight and feedback, not precision).

For the 5-Series, the consensus is that the E39 had the best steering and while the E60 softened it, it was still considered really good.

If you haven't noticed, it feels artificial........ I noticed a change when I went from my e39 to my e60, and then an even bigger change when I drove an f10. I love they way it looks, but the steering needs to be less electronic.......

Add to that the 5-series is now a smaller 7-series, by design (platform) and size, so IMO suits the market segment even better.

BTW, for those with negative comments on the steering, what do you actually want from the steering? The five is no track car and sits in the Executive class in Europe. Does the typical business executive driver really want to feel that much road? I sense from lots of comments here in the UK that precision, weighting are what mainstream drivers want, more than too much road feel which can of course have a negative side, and be too in your face.

I've an F11 M-sport with SAT and Adaptive Drive and to be honest I find the steering totally suited to the car. BTW, I'm no first time BMW driver, I go back to the first 5-series an E12 528, so have grown along with BMW and the 3 and 5-series cars.

Personally I drive on surfaces that are, shall I say, 'challenging' for ride quality, so pleased BMW have at last tamed the ride and steering to work with run-flats, without having to fight them. I find it difficult to see how we get more genuine steering feedback, while driving on run-flats, without getting negative steering influences. IMO, has been the weakness in all RFT shod BMW cars.

Pehaps we should define steering feel/feedback, and how we decide what is right for the 5-series to please the masses. I sense BMW may have pitched the steering feel pretty much where most will be happy. It may improve in time as development continues, but coming from an R&D backgound, that last few percent takes the biggest part of development time and resources.